目睹 mùdǔ to witness
to witness; to see at first hand; to see with one's own eyes
How to remember 目睹: 目 eye + 睹 to look at = to witness.
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How it is used
- A formal verb for witnessing something firsthand with your own eyes - 他亲眼目睹了事故的经过 (tā qīnyǎn mùdǔ le shìgù de jīngguò) he personally witnessed how the accident unfolded.
- More literary than 看见 (kànjiàn, see); often pairs with 亲眼 and used for weighty events (disasters, crimes, historic moments), rarely for trivial sightings.